


Prisonbreak

by Kaicielia



Series: Cheynne's Legacy [3]
Category: Star Wars Legends: The Old Republic
Genre: Coruscant, F/M, Love, Loyalty, Married Couple
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-06
Updated: 2015-05-06
Packaged: 2018-03-29 07:28:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,495
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3887539
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kaicielia/pseuds/Kaicielia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Espionage on Coruscant.</p><p>When Andronikos decides to visit the planet, he is recognized and caught by the Republic. The crew is not sure how to rescue him, but Cheynne refuses to leave him behind.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Prisonbreak

**Author's Note:**

> I tend to write useless strings of day-to-day life, and occasionally a stretch makes a great short story (after deleting half of it, anyway. :-) ) This is the first, best story I have so far.
> 
> And why, pray tell, is Jedi included in spellcheck dictionaries but Sith is not?

“I’m out, Sith!” Andronikos declared as he stormed by, shoving Cheynne roughly when she impeded his path. He was upset with her again. As always. Truth be told, setting him off was usually her intention. It was a game they played with each other, testing the temper and stubbornness of the other. The game was usually ended by a declared draw after a round of rough sex.

This time, however, the situation was different. They were docked at a Republic station orbiting the capital planet of the Republic; sheer luck had a sympathizer ranked high enough at the station to aid them. They had received orders anonymously through a droid intermediary, threatening dire consequences for refusal and a generous reward for completion, to confirm or deny recent rumors about new Republic weapons technology but stepping foot on the planet was strictly prohibited. Cheynne had well paid contacts on the ground collecting and feeding them information, but the weeks had gotten too routine, too boring for the anxious man and he was looking for some action.

When he told her he wanted to go out she tried talking him out of it. Besides the fact that they were currently working as spies, he had a long list of Republic warrants and a pretty hefty reward on his head. His stubbornness kicked in and, honestly worried for him and looking to avoid a drawn-out fight, Cheynne pulled rank and refused to allow him off ship. This was the result.

“If you get picked up I’m not paying for your release,” she said to his back as he walked away. He didn’t slow. As the hatch opened she threatened, “If I hear you talked….”

He turned and glared at her, incensed that she would even speak the words. Loyalty was his religion. He wouldn’t say a word and she knew it.

When the hatch was open he turned his back and walked out.

She watched him walk away, playing the hundreds of options available to her in her mind. She could beg him, bribe him, use her force powers to beat him into submission or unconsciousness or order Khem to chase him down, overpower him and bring him back. She could lock down their cabin and keep him prisoner until they left the planet.

She would do nothing of the sort and he knew it.

After the hatch closed she took the only other course of action available to her; continue with the job and trust that he could take care of himself.

She took a deep breath to calm her anxiety and turned toward the bridge. She had dropped Ashara off on Nar Shaddaa to monitor rumors there; not really necessary, but she figured the reformed Jedi would prefer that over working directly against the Republic. Khem was nowhere to be seen, likely hard at work in the cargo bay, but Talos and Xalek stood and watched her carefully, figuring this most recent incident into their judgment of the quality of her leadership.

“Show’s over, back to work,” she said to them, walking past them and onto the bridge to continue collecting communications data. She ordered 2V to monitor the local law enforcement channels for any mention of Andronikos, hoping that it would prove unnecessary.

It was hard to concentrate at first. He kept invading her thoughts; should haves and would haves telling stories of how it could have gone if only she’d done something differently. Eventually minutes turned into hours and he slipped from her mind, the all-encompassing nature of the work drawing her in.

“I’ve tapped into more government and medical channels, you should have access to them now, but I’m still having trouble with the military code.” Xalek said behind Cheynne as she leaned over her work. She straightened her back, which cracked loudly at the change of position. “None of the codes Andronikos gave us are in use; may be they know he’s been slicing in.”

She checked the time; more than six hours had passed since he left. Night had long fallen on the land below. “Maybe. Took them long enough.” She confirmed that she had access to the other channels and set the computer’s filters to flag anything with the keywords she’d been supplied with. Staring at monitors was causing her head to ache and the look Xalek gave her indicated he was reaching his limit as well. “Spread the word, we’re done for the day,” she told him, massaging the pain from her head. “Have 2V prepare a meal and we can start again tomorrow.”

She headed straight to her quarters, shutting out the noise and light of the ship, and fell into bed. Her mind was a jumble of information fighting for attention and nothing she did quieted it. She ignored the call for the meal and, as the others on ship turned in for the night, felt herself falling into blackness.

She was sure she had just gotten to sleep when an alarm sounded. 2V’s metallic voice called over the intercom. “Incoming message, sir. Voice only. Encrypted.”

She shook her groggy head, collecting her thoughts to better handle the interruption. “I’ll take it on the bridge,” she said, rising and heading in that direction. She was not expecting any communications and dreaded the news she’d get.

When she got to the bridge she fell heavily into the pilot’s seat and accessed the message.

“Master, you’ve got to let me on the ship,” Ashara’s voice came clear through the connection. “I have information for you.”

“What in the stars is she doing here?” Cheynne asked aloud.

“I do not know.” Khem’s answer to her question made her jump and she laughed at the reaction. The monster was like a guard dog, always there to assist if needed.

“Wake the crew,” she told him, walking to again open the hatch that was supposed to remain closed on this mission. “Let’s hope we don’t have to defend ourselves.”

Backed by her small crew, she prepared for a possible attack and opened the hatch. Ashara stood on her own, dancing from one foot to the other as if she’d been left to stand for far too long.

“Oh, Master,” she exclaimed when the hatch was open, “you got my message.” She rushed aboard the ship and began talking too quickly for Cheynne’s sleep addled mind to follow, her hands flailing wildly in time with her excited words. “Everyone’s talking about the capture and they’re trying to find you and….”

“Slow down,” Cheynne snapped at the girl, massaging away the headache that had begun to return. 

Ashara flinched at the abrupt command and stopped talking altogether.

Cheynne took a deep breath. “Start at the beginning, who is the everyone that is talking?”

“On Nar Shaddaa,” Ashara began, clasping her hands together as she spoke. “I was hearing rumors about Imperial spies on Coruscant, but nothing more than usual. Then, tonight, I heard that a big bounty was turned in. It is suspected that the two are connected, and I heard your title specifically mentioned as having close contact with the bounty. They’ve stopped using all standard communications and are using military channels until you are caught. I got on the first transport I could.” They matched shocked stares for several long seconds as Cheynne processed the information.

“Andronikos,” she cursed under her breath as she turned away. “Xalek, check communications. We need to get into the military channels!” She walked to the bridge to check on those she’d set to be flagged. “Talos, I need information on the local constabulary. Where do they hold prisoners, who do I need to bribe or threaten, what is the best escape route? Khem, hope you’re ready for battle.”

The monster growled.

She checked her information and found that, indeed, communications on all channels had dropped off significantly in the hours they’d slept and what did remain was superficial chatter.

“And me, Master?” Ashara asked. How Cheynne wished the girl would quit calling her Master. 

“Thank you for the warning. You’ve had a long journey, go and rest.”

“But…” she began to protest, but the cold look Cheynne gave her brooked no argument. She slunk away to the crew quarters.

“Medical channels are still active, but government channels have all but gone silent.” Xalek said after a few minutes. “Looks like she’s right.”

“He got himself into this mess; we owe him nothing.” Talos spoke up, turning away from the screen he was at. “We should just go.”

“I’m not leaving without him.”

“I wouldn’t even know how to get on the planet, let alone break into wherever they’ve decided to hold him,” he continued. “Besides, how do you know he hasn’t already turned on us?”

“He hasn’t.”

“How do you know?”

Cheynne ignored his repeated question. “Have you found him?” She moved to stand in front of the man, arms crossed. Khem, sensing the tension, stood behind her.

Conceding, Talos moved aside to reveal the screen, showing an aerial view of a military base on the planet. “I can’t be sure, but if they suspect a breakout attempt, this is likely where they have him.”

The place was huge, surrounded by walls and turrets and barracks full of soldiers. “Get me all the information you can and transfer it to my room.”

“Will do,” he said and turned back to his station.

Cheynne poured over blueprints and maps and the few accounts of others who had tried to escape the installation before to no avail. It seemed the only path open was a direct assault but she didn’t even know for sure if he was there and, if he was, doubted either of them would survive the attempt. Finally she stood and left her room, hoping that Ashara’s familiarity with the Republic would open some other avenue.

She found the girl in the Galley. As soon as their eyes met Ashara’s fell, avoiding Cheynne’s gaze.

“I’m sorry,” Cheynne said without hesitation, understanding that an apology would be the fastest way around her distress. “I… I have to get him back.”

Ashara sighed heavily and shook her head. “I don’t know what I can do for you,” she said. “I wasn’t in the Jedi order long, and even if I had been, they are not part of the Republic government. At best, they’re uneasy allies.”

Cheynne dropped into a seat and held her head in her hands, staring blankly at the table top for a solution. “There has to be some way.”

“I fear there may not be.” Ashara rested a hand on Cheynne’s shoulder in an attempt to comfort her. “You may have to let him go.”

Cheynne shrugged her hand off and returned to her feet. “Not an option.”

“It could mean your death.”

Cheynne considered the words for a moment, rolling them over in her mind. Finally she answered, “Then I die.”

Xalek rushed into the room as she turned to leave. “I got in,” he announced. “On a hunch I tried Andronikos’ codes again and I got in.”

“Show me.” 

They ran to the bridge, Ashara following close behind, and he pointed out the military channels he’d tapped into.

“Not all of them, but at least it’s something.” He played one of the channels over the com. Two men discussed moving a prisoner from a holding cell to the military base they’d identified. He switched channels and several people argued over the appropriate punishment for a deserter, traitor and pirate.

“And you’re sure these were unavailable to you just yesterday?”

He nodded. “I had tried several times, back doors and known weaknesses. This time, they came right up.”

“It’s a trap,” Cheynne said to no one in particular. New plans began taking shape in her head. She pointed to Xalek and smiled. “But at least it’s something.”

She sat to listen to the chatter, collecting whatever information was given and inferring what was not. She had Talos bring up a satellite view of the base, guessing where they expected her to attack and where they’d be holding Andronikos while they sprung their trap.

There appeared to be a good deal of activity surrounding a small building in the center of the base. A vehicle pulled up to it and the entire area was flooded with soldiers. There was a too-obvious path to it that was nearly clear, only a few soldiers patrolling, and Cheynne imagined there were more eyes watching the path than were immediately apparent.

“Talos,” she said as a plan cemented itself in her mind, “I need a bomb.”

“A bomb? How big of an explosion are you looking for?”

“I’m not looking for one, but I’d like others to believe I am. Make it look big, as big an explosion as I can get on something small enough to wear, miles if possible. Ashara,” 

The girl started, surprised to be included in the plan. 

“Don’t worry, all I need you to do is get me a speeder. Something fast and maneuverable. I need to get to that building before being knocked off.”

Ashara turned to a console and began searching for any that may be available close by.

“Khem, Xalek,” Cheynne led them from the room and to the cargo bay, both to hide their parts in the plan from Ashara and to gather the items they’d need.

 

When the time came Cheynne dressed in what she had come to refer to as her “Council Robes,” a dressy affair that would leave no one questioning who she was. She strapped the bomb to her chest and wrapped a neutral colored robe around it all, pulling the hood up to hide her features. She made it to the planet’s surface and to the speeder vendor without incident. She found the speeder Ashara had chosen and, when the vendor took issue with her riding off on it without paying, disposed of him quickly and quietly.

She followed the path she had chosen from the vendor to the base, encountering no resistance on the way. Stopping near a building just outside the gate, she used her holocommunicator to contact Xalek. “Ready?” she asked. She could get to Andronikos on her own, of that she had no doubt, but Khem and Xalek’s role was the only chance for them to get out alive.

Static came from the unit. “I didn’t get that,” she said, adjusting a few dials to tune out any interference. Still nothing but static.

“They must be jamming communications. If you can hear me, I’m going in. If not….” Cheynne let the thought hang. She had studied every map, every piece of information she had to formulate this plan and was convinced it was the only chance, slim as it was.

She got back on the speeder and headed to the base at a leisurely pace. The guards on duty at the gate stood suddenly, mistaking her for a Jedi with the robe she’d chosen to wear. They waved for her to stop and check in, but she simply waved back at them and passed by. They shouted, their words lost in the hum of the speeder engine as she kicked it into full speed. A blaster shot over her shoulder let her know the chase was on.

She followed the path that had been opened for her, weaving between buildings to draw out the few soldiers there. The speeder was hit twice but kept going. In less than a minute she was approaching the small building surrounded by soldiers, a line of barrels zeroed in on her.

She jumped to the side, allowing the speeder to continue on into the line of soldiers, and rolled clear. Several shots were fired and she heard the thing stutter and cut out, pulling to one side before coming to a halt. She came up from her roll and stood, throwing off the robe and revealing the regalia of her position to all in attendance, as well as the bomb strapped to her chest.

All blaster fire ceased and many of the soldiers took a step back. One soldier stepped forward, nodding his head to Cheynne, and spoke.

“You have us at a disadvantage,” he said, signaling several of his soldiers to break rank. They ran off quickly, likely with messages to their higher ups about just who had come to rescue the pirate.

Cheynne laughed. “So bring him to me and let us be on our way.”

“You know I can’t do that,” he told her. “He is wanted for too many crimes to allow him to go, treason among the most serious. If he is found guilty the punishment is death.”

“Then we all die,” she said, moving as if to activate the bomb.

“Wait,” he said, holding a hand up. “The blast will kill you as well as him. What good would that do the Council?”

“I’m not here on behalf of the Dark Council.” The words came out in a wicked laugh. “It is well known they’d just as soon kill me themselves as acknowledge my position among them, what makes you think they take any interest in anything I do?”

“Evacuate all nonessential personnel,” he said to the soldier standing behind him, barely loud enough to hear, “and call the mayor. Get the area cleared out.”

“Better be fast,” Cheynne called out, maintaining the amused lilt in her voice. “I got the biggest one I could afford. You’ll be lucky if half the city is standing when I’m done.”

The soldier glanced at her momentarily before running off. She hoped that Xalek and Khem would note their opportunity and soon be in position.

“I want to see him,” Cheynne stated.

“What is your interest in the man?” the soldier asked. “Maybe we could come to some arrangement that would suit everyone.”

Cheynne shook her head slightly as she glared at him, wondering how long he expected this stalling tactic to work. “10… 9… 8… 7…”

Several of the soldiers behind him shifted nervously. He turned toward the building and waved.

“6… 5… 4…”

His waving became frantic and three forms emerged. Andronikos, limping and bound at the wrists, flanked by two Jedi.

“Figures they’d get in on this,” Cheynne called out, then to the Jedi directly, “What interest have you in this, or are you simply hired hands doing the Republic’s dirty work?”

The Jedi ignored her taunts.

“What are you doing, Sith?” Andronikos asked when he saw her.

“Rescuing you,” she told him.

“I don’t think you can win this one.”

“Don’t have to win, just get away.”

“So you don’t intend to die today.” Cheynne glared at the soldier for his interruption. “What does he know that you would be sent to fetch him, or are you here of your own volition?”

Cheynne summoned electricity to dance up her arms, erasing any doubt the soldier might have about her intentions, and smiled when she saw the soldier flinch. “Doesn’t matter, I can’t walk out of here without him. Hand him over or he, we, and a good portion of this city will be vaporized.”

The soldier looked at her for several seconds, considering her words. “Perhaps we can offer the Empire some other prize; another prisoner, or a disputed planet. This man is more than just a pirate, he’s a symbol. A political prize for whoever manages to bring him in.”

Cheynne set her jaw, putting as cold a look on her face as she could. She knew the man didn’t have the power to which he pretended; this was nothing more than another stalling attempt. Truth was she needed time herself. Khem and Xalek should have been in position already and she wondered what was keeping them.

She set her face into a scowl and began pacing as her mind raced. 

“Surely there must be something else the Republic can offer the Empire in exchange for a washed up pirate.”

Andronikos lifted his eyes at that comment, fixing a hateful stare on the soldier. A second later his gaze shifted when something caught his attention behind Cheynne.

She stopped pacing and smiled. “You guess at things you know nothing about.”

The Jedi flanking Andronikos tensed as if they could sense that something was about to happen. When a small object flew into Cheynne’s vision she turned her head to protect her eyes. A blinding flash and loud crack issued forth. As soon as it passed she bolted to Andronikos. The soldiers, all of them, had been taken unaware and were writhing about, deaf and blind. She was not so lucky with the Jedi.

She stripped the bomb off as she ran, hitting a button and dropping it when she stopped to confront them. She summoned a force storm that stunned them just long enough for the acrid smoke billowing from below to hit her nostrils. She held her breath as another flash bang was set off behind her, keeping the soldiers at bay.

Cheynne rushed Andronikos, throwing him back several feet where they hit the ground hard. “Run,” she told him as the smoke began to sting her throat. She pushed him on, toward the cover of barracks and, hopefully, a clear way out.

One of the Jedi shook off the effects of the smoke more quickly than predicted and tripped Cheynne up with a force attack. She was on her feet and running again in a second, but she had taken in another lungful of the smoke. Several troop transports flew in behind them, landing in the area they had just vacated. Another explosion erupted there, this one stronger and more damaging, likely killing many of the soldiers and setting the entire area aflame. 

The couple managed to dodge around several of the barracks before the effects of the smoke overwhelmed Cheynne and she fell to her knees, vomiting into the dirt. Andronikos stopped and ran back, helping her to her feet and watching the way behind them.

“I’m going to have to tell Talos his formula doesn’t work as well as advertised,” Cheynne said between coughs. “I should have been immune for an hour or more.”

“Yeah yeah,” Andronikos said as he pulled her along. “Let’s go. They’re not far behind.”

They were on their feet and running again before the pursuing Jedi turned the corner, loosing an attack that fell harmlessly short.

Cheynne’s coughing slowed them, but they were within sight of one of the gates just a few minutes later. She noted Khem running away from the base far ahead of them, leading a trail of dead Republic soldiers as he was ordered to do, and wished she’d told him to wait. Her cough was increasing, the dampening effect of Talos’ formula continued to weaken, and she was unsure how much further she could run.

They exited the base and ran down an alley, dodging around several more corners. Cheynne was tripped up several times by the cough and they finally came to a stop in a concealed corner near a vendor district. 

Andronikos kept an eye out as Cheynne hunched over and continued to cough. She vomited several more times, the cough causing her stomach to spasm, and she had a brief thought that it would never stop. Nearly half an hour passed before she could again speak, enough time for Andronikos to free his hands.

“Where are we?” Cheynne asked, rising unsteadily to her feet.

“Not sure,” Andronikos answered, again looking out of their hiding place. “I think there’s a taxi stand on the other side of the plaza. Maybe we can get to that.”

Cheynne took a couple more minutes to recover and then they darted out of their hiding spot toward the stand. On the way, Andronikos managed to snag a blanket to throw over her, hiding the Sith robes she wore.

Shortly before they reached the stand Cheynne was wracked with another coughing fit. Andronikos caught her before she fell, keeping her on her feet. She clung to him, muscles weak and sore. They rose to continue on when the fit passed but the Jedi that had been pursuing them stood between them and the taxi stand.

He hesitated for just a second, confusion stamped on his face after witnessing the mutual show of affection. A second was all that was needed, however, as Khem came barreling at him from the right, swinging his blade wide. The Jedi took the full force of the attack and was thrown several feet backward. By the time he recovered Xalek had swooped in on a transport and they jumped aboard. The vehicle was jarred by the Jedi’s belated attacks, but it continued on.

 

They made it to the ship without further incident. As soon as he stepped into the hatch Andronikos ran to the bridge and piloted the ship out of Republic space. Cheynne walked as far as she could before falling to her knees, struggling for breath.

“Talos,” Ashara called out to the medic, helping Cheynne to a seat as she did. Cheynne tried pushing her away, insisting she was OK and no longer in need of assistance, but the strength she had left couldn’t budge the girl. Talos gave her a hypo spray which aided her breathing greatly, but her throat and lungs continued to burn.

“I think you need to work on that formula,” she told him, her voice hoarse.

“Yeah, well, I told you it wasn’t ready.”

She stood to walk to the bridge.

“No, you should rest,” Ashara told her, pushing her none too gently back into the seat.

“You want me to relax, get me to the bridge,” Cheynne insisted. “I can sit there if necessary.”

Ashara helped her, trying to lead her off to a seat on one side, but she stopped behind the pilot’s seat. Cheynne checked the instruments and was relieved to see there was no sign of pursuit. Andronikos, after assuring they were far from anything the Republic laid claim to, turned to see the group standing behind him. His face lit up in amusement as he rose to his feet.

Cheynne swung at him, every remaining bit of strength she had aimed at his smug smile. He caught her clenched fist easily and his smile widened.

“Seems I owe you a thanks,” he said, wrapping his arms around her. 

She tried pushing him away in vain. “You think?” she asked, pounding fists into his chest. “I should have killed you where you stood between those two Jedi.”

His arms tightened and she gave up. She rested her head against his chest and hooked her hands behind his back, allowing the hours of built-up tension to leave her body. 

After several long seconds he asked, “No threats to keep me from running off again?”

She chuckled resignedly. “As if that would work.”

“Incoming message, sir,” 2V’s metallic voice called. “Data. Imperial Army. News of new Republic weapons technology determined to be rumor. Abort all missions; compensation agreements have been revoked.”


End file.
